Web printing press



Sept. 15, 1953 w. sAuaERLlci-l WEB PRINTING PRES S 3 Sheets-Sheet '1Filed May 25, 1950 I r ya nt or: MLLY Savasnuw Sept. 15, 1953 ,w.SAUBERLICH WEB PRINTING PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1950mmllllnurl In ve nf or' W/LL Y SAl/BERLICH r-f 'wi w M 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed May 23, 1950 f O t n a v n I W SAUBEHMQH Patented Sept. 15, 1953UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

WEB PRINTING PRESS many Application May 23, 1950, Serial No. 163,637 In:Germany March 5, 1949 Claims.

This invention relates to. improvements in design and construction ofrotary intaglioor gravure printing machines, particularly that type ofmachines provided for printing and perfecting a web of any suitablematerial, by means of two or more printing unitsand has for its objectcertain. new and useful improvements in the construction and arrangementof the mechanism of such machines and particularly of the dryingarrangementspecified below- It has been common practice to. direct theweb, upon leaving the printing units, upwards to an open or closedchamber for exposureto a. drying process. During the drying, the chieflytoxic solvents of the printing inks are volatilized. To prevent escapeof fumes and odors into the machine room, they are exhausted, and, inmost cases, led to a recuperating plant.

The dangerous mixture of air and fumes and odors in question has agreaterspecific weight than the air in the machine room. Therefore, itis a considerable disadvantage of drying chambers placed above theprinting units that this mixture, in spite of. exhaustion, easilyescapes through the slots provided at the bottom side of the dryingchambers necessary for the passage of the web, causing detrimentaleffects upon the health of operating personnel. This type ofconstruction furthermore must be ofconsiderable height and provided withmeans such as galleries to allow machine operators tothread the web intothe drying chamber. Lastly, service and inspection. of, as well asaccessibility toprinting. units are rendered more difficult by saidarrangement of the drying chambers and by guiding the web between theseelevated parts of the machine.

Therefore, the principal object of the present invention is tocompletely encasev the drying chamber and to arrange the latter notabove the printing. units as before, but underneath them, andto'construct the drying chambers as an entirely closed room extending.along the whole length of the machine.

This invention has for another object an improved construction, wherebythe. casing of the machine is enclosing printing units and dryingchamber altogether, the printing units being separated from. the drying.chamber though, by separating walls or metal sheets provided; with slotsfor the passing of the web.

The invention has for a further object the arrangement of hinged hoodsinthe casing fitted to or above the printing heads and madepreferably oftransparent material such. as glass, Plexiglas, &c., to allow inspectionof the printing process alsowhile the hood is turn-eddown.

A further object oftheinvention isto connect one or several pipes leadinfrom the bottom part of the drying chamber to the exhausting device.

Other objectsand advantages of the invention will be morereadilyunderstoodby reference to the following specification andaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1- is av longitudinal sectional view showing the generalarrangement of the printing machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail. View showing one of the printing units anda part of the drying chamber;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of themachine taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 andshowing the rear elevation of one of the printing units, the hood beingopened;

Fig. i is a longitudinal sectional. view of a modified arrangement ofthe printing machine.

The continuous web 5 which is fed into the press is drawn from theoriginal roll 6 the removable shaft of which is journalled' in theupright side frames 1 ofthe machine.

On the-same shaft a brake disc 8 is fixed which is braked through theeffect of the brake band 9. The braking power is delivered by a spring10, one end of which is fixedto the end of the brake band", and theother end to: a bracket ll fitted to the machine frame.

By fixing the brake band 9 directly to the machine frame the roll 63 isalways under the infiuence of the same braking power. In some cases, itis desired, to regulatethe braking power proportionally to the diameterof the original roll. In this case, the other end of the brake band 9:is; fixed. to. a lever l2 which is arranged reversible in the side frameof the machine. It carries at its other: end a rotating idler roll 13which is pressed through the brake band 9 under the influence. of:thespring it against the original roll 5;.

If the diameter of the original roll is large, a sufficiently largebrake power is transmitted to the brake disc 8. The mor the originalroll diminishes, the more the brake band 9 i released, and in this waythe brake power is diminished.

From the roll 6 the web travels over the guide rollers It to the twobrushing devices It, consisting each of a brush on one side and an idlerroll on the other side of the web. Hereafter, the web travelshorizontally and enters through a slot into the drying chamber of themachine, this latter being composed chiefly of the machine frames 1 onboth sides and the covering plates connecting the edges of both sideframes throughout. Herein, the web is guided by means of the guideroller I6 into vertical direction and enters through a further slot inthe separating wall I! into the printing unit. Here, the direction ofthe paper web is altered first by a guide roller l8 and, on its furtherrun, by a guide roller Hi. It then passes between the forme cylinder 20and the pressure cylinder 2| where printing is effected. Hereupon, theweb leaves the printing unit through another slot in the separating wallI! and gets into the drying chamber. The drying of the web is effectedby air blown to the printed side through the nozzles 22. To obtainmaximum drying results the blowing process should afiect the web on asufficiently long travel. For this reason, the web is not guideddirectly to the next printing unit for printing of the next colour butover several guide rollers 23, 24, and 25 which cause the web to formseveral turns. Guiding is done in such a manner that, during the firstpart of the run, the printed side of the material is not touched by therollers. Only after sufiicient progress of the drying process has beenmade, the printed side of the web is touched by guide roller 26 and runsfirst along its former turns and then to the next printing unit.

To avoid that the web, when passing in front of the blowing nozzles, benot too much diverted from its provided travel by the air stream, platesor other suitable guides 21, 28, and 29 are fixed to the side wallsopposite to the nozzles on the other side of the web, thus assuring thecorrect run of the web.

The printing process is repeated in the second printing unit in exactlythe same manner as in the first, and drying is effected again in thesame manner as described above. In both cases the same arrangement isused. For this reason, these parts are given the same numbers, marked byan added prime suffix In the third printing unit and in the third partof the drying chamber, this process is repeated; these installationshave consequently been marked in the drawing with the same numbers byadding two suffixes After having travelled through the last part of thedrying chamber, the web leaves this chamber through a slot and, afterhaving been guided by the guide rollers 3i and 32, it is rewound to arewinding shaft, thus forming the winding roll 33. The shaft is placedin bearings 34, capable of sliding in a vertical guide of the machineframe. The winding roll itself is carried on its circumference by thetwo supporting rollers 35. With increasing diameter of the roll, thebearings 34 vertically slide upward together with the rewinding shaft.

Between the web exit from the drying chamber and the roll 33conventional devices for rotary presses can be fitted, such as slitters,sheeters, folders, and/or perforators. Considering that these units arenot within the scope of the invention, they are not shown in thedrawing.

4 Those skilled in the art will have no diificulty to fit into themachine well known additional devices of various designs.

To illustrate more clearly the main object of my invention, the dryingchamber extending beneath the printing units and the arrangement of thepressure and suction pipes belonging to it are represented in a largerscale as per Figs. 2 and 3, including simultaneously the printing units,the construction of which is not an object of this invention, however.

From the drawings it can clearly be recognized that the forme cylinder20 is supported from the side frames 1 of the machine in suitablejournals 36 which slide in vertical guides of the machine frames. Bythese guides, the forme cylinder can be placed in or removed and can befixed in the working position by means of a spindle not shown in thedrawing. In this position, the forme cylinder touches the inking roller31 which, with its lower part, dips into the ink fountain 38 partlyfilled with ink. If the forme cylinder rotates, the inking roller alsoturns and inks the cylinder the surface of which is scraped by thedoctor blade 39 in the well known manner. The ink fountain is supportedon both sides by spindles adjustable by means of a hand wheel 40 fittedat the outside. and by two screw wheels 4! and 42 fitted to the sameshaft.

The pressure necessary for the printing process is effected by thepressure cylinder 2| which, on both sides, rests in a sliding piece eachwhich can slide horizontally in a space left open for this purpose inthe machine frames. Two further sliding pieces, one arranged at eachmachine frame, form the journals for a further pressure cylinder 43which, with the aid of a spindle and a hand wheel 44 is pressed againstthe pressure cylinder 2| which transmits this pressure over the web tothe forme cylinder 20. The pressure cylinders can be arranged also inlevers. It is advisable to provide the separating wall l1, beingunderneath the ink fountain 38 in such a manner'that possible inksplashes or overflowing ink are received by this separating wall toavoid soiling of the web. For this purpose, the separating wall iscurved in vertical direction towards the top, as shown in the drawing,thus forming a flat tub.

To enable the operator to reach the individual parts of the printingunit during the printing operation, it is advisable to provide thepossibility of opening the casing enclosing the printing unit. For thisreason, said part of the casing has the form of a hood 45 fitted to thecasing by means of hinges 46, and can therefore be turned up, as shownin the drawing. With the hood turned up, the operator of the machine isable to survey all parts of the printing unit during its run, and, ifnecessary, to make little ad- J'ustments. For this purpose he steps onthe platform 41, and it is a main advantage of the invention that he ishindered from such inspection neither by the travel of the web nor byany parts on the top of the machine since drying chamber as well astravel of the web are located underneath the printing units.

If it is intended to inspect the printing process without making anyadjustments, part of the hood can be made of transparent material suchas glass, Plexiglas, &c. The inspection can thus be effected without anydanger for the operator; no fumes or odors arising in the printing unitsare streaming into the workshop.

The drive of the printing units is effected from the main driveshaft 48extending along the machine and actuated by a motor not shown in the rawAt a pr ng. unit. the. drivin movement is transmittedover abevel gearingto a. vertical shaft 39' whi h, over. another bevel gearing, drives ahorizontal shaft to which a gear is fitted, meshing with gear- 59. Thelatter is fixed to the shaft of the forme cylinder 28 driving it. Thedrivingshaft 49, over another bevel gearing, isdriving-aspiral-'gearingE-t which on its part turns an eccentric;making'the lever 52 reciprocate. This lever is connected to anotherlever 53 which, in its approximate middle, is journalled in a fulcrum.The upper end of said lever is connected to the head 54 of a rod 54'moving the doctor blade 39 to and fro in the axial direction of theforme cylinder, avoiding difficulties arising from a fixed doctor blade.

The blowing nozzles 22 arranged in the drying chamber have theapproximate form of tubes with lengthwise slots for air escape. With oneend they are connected to a tubing system 55 following the way of theweb. This tubing is connected to the main blowing piping 56 by a shortjoint penetrating the machine frame.

It is of particular importance and represents the main advantage of myinvention that exhausting can be effected at the bottom part of thedrying chamber since, as mentioned before, the fumes arising from thevolatilization of the solvents are heavier than the atmospheric air andthus will deposit in the bottom part of the drying chamber. At the knownarrangement of the drying chambers on the top of printing units, theprovision of several slots is not to be avoided in their lowest part forthe passage of the web; exhausting is generally effected in the higherpart of the chamber. That is why fumes are escaping through the slotsinto the workshop, causing detrimental effects upon the health of theoperating staff. By my invention, however, the drying chamber iscompletely closed, and the fumes can be exhausted directly in the bottompart, too. For this purpose, the main suction piping 5! is guided insuch a manner that its connecting branches 5%, after having gone throughthe machine frame, reach the lower part of the drying chamber, thusavoiding all disadvantages of the known arrangements. Considering, thatin this case the exhausted air mixture contains a considerable part offumes and solvents, recuperation of the available solvents isparticularly economical, if the exhausted mixture is led to arecuperation plant.

The arrangement of the printing machine described before is such, thatthe whole machine frame is resting on the floor. The printing units arearranged somewhat higher therefore and are easily accessible only from aplatform. Another construction, without departing from the scope of theinvention, consists in arranging the drying chamber, extending in thiscase also over the whole length of the machine, in the storey below.This construction is schematically represented in Fig. 4, wherebydetails fully covered by the above described arrangement have not beenrepeated.

The printing machine comprises the two lateral frames 59 together withthe covering plates across the machine forming a completely closedcasing for the drying chamber and the printing units which are, however,separated from each other by separating walls, similar to the abovedescription. The lower part of the machine,

however, does not standuponthe; floor butpeneratesthe floor. insuch.amanner, tha o ly the printing, unitstogether with the upper parts ofthe. drying chamber. are. positioned above the floor... The main, part,of the drying chamber enters, into, the, storey. below. To, obtain avibrationlesafoundation.ofthe machine it is advisableto.supportthe.bottom of; the. machine by the. pillarsv 611.. The,original. roll lil' is, with its shaft-ipurnalled at both. ends in. theframe 62,. The same. frame includes also, bearings for the guide rollers63 and the brushing device t l. After the webhastravelled through thelatter it runs towards the top and, after reversing at the roller 65,enters into the drying chamber of the machine. Its travel through thedifferent printing and drying devices is the same as described above. Inthe same manner it is rewound to the roll 66 which can be provided inthe upper floor. The arrangement of the blowing pipes 81 connected tothe nozzles and of the suction pipes 68 is the same as indicated inFigs. 1 to 3. The advantage of this somewhat modified construction ofthe machine is due to the fact that in this case the printing units arestill more easily accessible than when erecting the machine frame uponthe floor.

In some cases it may be desirable to divide the large drying chamberinto individual compartments. This division is very simple by insertingcorresponding separating walls as shown in Fig. 2. It is best suitablein this case to separate the drying chamber in such a manner that eachprinting unit is provided with its individual and fully closed part ofthe drying chamber. For the passage of the web only one slot has to beprovided in each separating wall.

Having now described my invention, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art after understanding my invention that other changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a web printing press, a plurality of printing units formulti-color printing arranged in series, drying means arranged below andfor each printing unit and extending parallel a certain distance alongthe path of travel of the web adjacent the printing side of the paperweb, guide plates arranged adjacent the paper web extending the lengthof the drying means and on the side of the paper opposite the printingside to restrict the amount of diversion of the paper web due to theeffect of th drying means, rollers for guiding the web arranged in thepress so that the web leaving each printing unit is guided downwards toits drying means arranged beneath its printing unit, and a main casingcommonly enclosing all of said units and drying means, said casingcomprising a plurality of upper compartments each encasing in its topportion one of the printing units, and a lower compartment extendingalong the base of the press underneath the compartments of the printingunits and connected therewith and encasing all of the drying means.

2. A web printing press according to claim 1, in which means areprovided in each drying means for blowing a stream of air against theweb and means for exhausting fumes out of the lower compartment of themain casing.

3. A web printing press according to claim 1, in which separation wallsare provided in the interior of the main casing between the compartmentsof the printing units and the compartment of the drying means.

4. A web printing press according to claim 1, in which separation wallsare provided in the interior of the main casing between the compartmentsof the printing units and the compartment of the drying means, and inwhich at least one series of nozzles is provided in each drying means toblow streams of air against said web.

5. A web printing press according to claim 1, in which the top portionsof the compartments for the printing units are provided with hingedhoods.

WILLY SAUBERLICH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number5 2,022,593 2,115,725 2,201,008

10 Number Name Date Fuykers 1 Nov. 26, 1935 Koch May 3, 1938 MacArthurMay 14, 1940 FQREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 28, 1933Great Britain Feb, 7, 1938,

